Abdul El-Sayed Takes Michigan Senate Seat

Abdul El-Sayed won the U.S. Senate election in Michigan, the Associated Press announced on Tuesday. He defeated former Representative Mike Rogers in a contest that many observers considered one of the most closely watched in the country.

At 42, El-Sayed will become the first Muslim American to serve in the Senate. He is a Michigan native who previously managed the health departments for Wayne County and the city of Detroit. His political career began in 2018 with an unsuccessful run for governor. He later served as a public health official before launching his Senate campaign.

Rogers, a former Republican member of the House, lost this bid after failing to win the seat in 2024. He had endorsed President Donald Trump’s position on election integrity, a stance he took despite earlier condemning claims of widespread fraud after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. In the final days of the campaign, Rogers attempted to distance himself from some of the president’s policies, including the war in Iran.

El-Sayed built his campaign around anger over the cost of living and political corruption. He focused on passing single-payer healthcare and limiting the influence of corporate money in politics. His approach attracted many young and infrequent voters. He described himself as a Democrat rather than a democratic socialist, though he received support from prominent figures on the political left.

The primary race was intense. El-Sayed narrowly defeated Representative Haley Stevens by about one percentage point. That win came despite endorsements from Governor Gretchen Whitmer and retiring Senator Gary Peters for Stevens. After the primary, Stevens reversed her earlier pledge to support the Democratic ticket and endorsed Rogers. Polls showed a tight general election race even though Democrats had held the Senate seat since 1979.

El-Sayed faced criticism from some Jewish voters regarding his positions on Israel. He apologized for comments made after a truck-ramming attack at a synagogue preschool in metro Detroit. He also campaigned with Hasan Piker, a streamer popular on the left, during the primary. El-Sayed accused Rogers and other Republicans of using Islamophobic rhetoric to target him throughout the general election campaign.